Algorithms, Art and Authorship

Join Hacks/Hackers NYC at 7 p.m. on Jan. 24 when artist and educator Jer Thorp brings us on an exploration of algorithms as computational tools and creative instruments.

Every day, we are assisted, persuaded, and influenced by the algorithm. In this presentation, Jer will discuss the use of algorithms as both computational tools and as creative instruments. He'll go into detail a number of projects involving diverse data sets, including the 770,000 words in the Shakespeare folios, text from nightly news broadcasts, and sales records for refrigerators. He'll also talk about his role in the design of the 9/11 memorial in Manhattan, and show projects from the NYTimes Research & Development group, where he was Data Artist in Residence from 2010 to 2012.

Just great. Always good to see what Jer Thorp is doing - and I liked how Jer kept it relevant to the future of journalism. Kudos to the whole H&H team for having Jer come out, and to Chrys for a nice introduction of Jer.

If the impersonation is a success I expect you to behave in a manner generally consistent with my past actions, and would appreciate changing your business cards and contact info to point to http://jonathan.is­

Or maybe I just change my RSVP status, and meetup handles letting people in from the waiting list yeah? Lets try that. Sorry bout the confusion, I was trying to save someone $10 but instead made stuff complicated.

The worlds of hackers and journalists are coming together as reporting goes digital and Internet companies become media empires.

Journalists call themselves "hacks," someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code. Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds.

This group is to bring all these people together -- those who are working to help people make sense of their world. It's for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload, all their work has become even more crucial.

This group aims to help members find inspiration and think in new directions, bringing together potential collaborators for projects and new ventures.